Combined pen-rack and inkstand.



Patented Feb. 6, |900.

T. W. GOULD. v(ZMBINED P-EN- RACK AND INKSTAND.

(Application Bled June 24, 1898.) (No Model.)

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NTTED STATES PATENT Trice.

THOMAS W. GOULD, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY.

COMBINED' PEN-RACK AND IINKSTAND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 642,603, dated February 6, 1900.

Application filed .T une 24, 1898. Serial No. 684,333. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS W. GOULD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Paterson, Passaic county, in the State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in a Combined Pen-Rack and Inkstand,of which the following is a speciiication.

My device provides for holding and shielding the pens in a plane series side by side in an inclined position, leaving the mid-length clear for convenient grasping.

The device is intended to be set on the desk so that the inclination will favor the taking and restoring the pens from the front, and I will describe it as thus placed. Instead of notches determining an exact position for each pen my device leaves them free to be moved to the right and left, which facilitates the insertion of the finger and thumb to take any desired one out of the series, but there is an efficient lip or raised rim which guards each side of the space for the pens. The surface against which the upper ends of the in-v clined pens are supported is correspondingly inclined and is extended upward and downward sufficiently to admit and properly support pens of all ordinary lengths. A rim extends along the edge of the upper support. These rims shield the pens against disturbing iniiuences. A newspaper or even a garment may be thrown across and carelessly removed with considerable lateral motion without risk of disturbing my device or any of the pens thereon.

My device also provides a sponge or other absorbent material in a pocket at the lower end, and also for holding an inkstand firmly in a seat at the side.

In what I esteem the most complete form of the invention the device is double, having two inkstands, one at each side of the inclined pen-rack, to carry two kinds of ink, as black and red, or a copying-ink and a writing iiud.

The sponge may be kept wet or allowed to dry, as desired or as convenience or chance may determine. The dry sponge will preserve the pens longer, but the damp sponge will absorb the ink more quickly and completely.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specication, and represent what I consider the best means for carrying out the ini vention. 5

Figure 1 is a plan view, and Fig. 2 a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the single form. Fig. 4 is a side view, on a smaller scale, showing a modification.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where they appear.

Referring to Figs. l and 2, A is a platform or horizontal plate of prepared wood, enameled cast-iron, or other material, having recesses in the upper face sunk something more than half-way through, one to receive the sponge B and the others to receive two inkstands D D. The outline of the base is ap= proximately triangular. The recess for the sponge in the front is rectangular and is surrounded by a raised rim A', the rim,with the recess,making a sufficiently-deep rectangulaipocket to which the sponge introduced moist will conform itself. The recesses for the inkstands D D should conform in shape and size to the pattern of inkstand used. On the back side a substantial portion A2 extends upward and carries at its top an inclined rest A3, inclined to the same extent as the series of pens provided with side guards A4, adapted to receive, and allow to be moved to the right and left, the upper ends of a number of pens M, which pens thus stand loosely, but are se# curely kept in a plane series side by side, and inclined to the front, with the points downward upon the sponge.

A5 is a vertical web which extends along the mid-width of the device and stiffens it.

The whole is preferably made in a single web A5 may be omitted in either the double i or the single form, substituting abrace under the inclined rest A3 Fig. Il shows. such in side elevation.

Instead of malleable cast-iron the device IOO can be made integral of Various other materials, including hard rubber, gutta-percha, papier-mache, porcelain, and glass, with or without decorations.

The whole may be made of wood, with the pores filled with a moisture-repellin g material and taking care to have the grain of the wood extend in all the pieces as much as practicable in the same directions.

I claim as my inventionl. The within described combined penrack and inkstand, the same having the base A laterally extended to receive an ink-well said base supporting the broad and smooth bottomed rest A3 at one end and having side and end ledges, and the lower sponge-cup at the other end, the parts being so disposed as to leave a clear space for the penholders at mid-width, the construction being adapted to freely retain the penholders in an inclined position by gravity so Jthat the pens rest on the sponge in the lower cup, while the butts of the holders lie loosely and are guarded in the upper rest, the holders being capable of removal without necessity of endwise movement, all combined in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

2. The within-described combined rack and inkstand, the same having the base A, the broad and smooth bottomed rest A3 at one end with side and end ledges permitting the removal of the holders without necessity of endwise movement, and the lower sponge-cup at the other end, the longitudinal vertical partition extending centrally along the base between the two to present lateral ink-well rests at both sides thereof, said partition being hollowed at its upper edge, the construction being adapted to freely retain the penholder in an inclined position under the conditions and in the mannersubstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS W. GOULD.

Vitnesses:

M. F. BoYLE, J. B. OLAUTICE. 

